What if the most powerful force for transforming education wasn’t a new app, a flashy curriculum, or a billion-dollar grant — but something far more human? In Vermont, a quiet revolution is unfolding in classrooms across the state, built on a radical idea: students and teachers lead change — together.
This isn’t about student councils planning dances or teachers tweaking lesson plans. It’s about shared leadership, co-creation, and a complete reimagining of who holds the power in education.
And the results? They’re reshaping what school can be.
A Different Kind of Leadership
In most school systems, decisions are made at the top — then passed down. But Vermont is flipping that script.
Here, students are invited to the table not just as learners, but as co-designers of education. Alongside teachers, they’re shaping policy, redesigning classrooms, building inclusive cultures, and launching initiatives that actually matter to them.
This model, often referred to as youth-adult partnership or shared leadership, is built on mutual respect and trust — and it’s catching on fast.
Real Voices, Real Impact
In Burlington, a group of high school students partnered with teachers to redesign the school’s advisory program, making it more relevant and relationship-based. In Montpelier, students helped revise disciplinary policies to ensure fairness and dignity.
At the heart of this movement is a belief that those closest to the classroom — the students and teachers themselves — are the ones best equipped to lead change.
“We stopped asking how to ‘fix’ schools,” says Vermont educator Jana Morales. “We started asking, ‘What if students and teachers led the fixing?’”
Why It Works?
When students and teachers lead change side by side, something powerful happens:
- Stronger engagement – Students are more motivated when their voices matter
- Deeper trust – Teachers feel heard and respected, not just managed
- More relevant solutions – Problems are solved by the people living them every day
- School culture improves – Everyone feels like they belong and can make a difference
This isn’t theory — it’s happening every day in Vermont’s classrooms. From small towns to city schools, students and teachers are not just participating in change — they’re driving it.
Supported by a State That Believes in Its People
Vermont’s approach is supported by organizations like Vermont Learning for the Future, which helps foster connections between communities, schools, and policymakers. Their mission is to create a just, vibrant, and student-centered education system — and they know it can’t happen without students and teachers leading together.
Even the state’s education policies reflect this belief, encouraging schools to embed student voice and teacher autonomy in decision-making structures.
The Challenges Are Real — But So Are the Wins
Of course, shifting power isn’t always easy. Some adults worry about “giving up control.” Some students aren’t used to being asked what they think. It takes time, support, and a culture of trust.
But those who stick with it report profound transformations — in schools, in relationships, and in personal growth.
“We’re learning that leadership isn’t about being the loudest voice,” says student leader Asha Lytle from Brattleboro. “It’s about listening, building, and taking action — together.”
A National Model in the Making?
As schools across the country search for ways to re-engage students, reduce burnout, and rebuild trust post-pandemic, Vermont’s model offers something refreshingly different — and deeply hopeful.
It shows what’s possible when we stop doing school to students and teachers, and start doing it with them.
Final Thought: The Future of Education Has Two Voices
When students and teachers lead change, schools stop being systems and start becoming communities. Vermont’s story isn’t just a state success — it’s a blueprint for the future of education.
And maybe, just maybe, that future starts with a conversation between a teacher and a student — and the courage to build something new together.
